


Sup, Little Bats

by DeathsLastPrayer



Series: Dude... I've Probably Always Loved You, Which Is Weird But... Whatever [1]
Category: DCU, DCU (Animated), DCU (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Birdflash - Freeform, Early Days, Gen, Just them being boys, M/M, and kind of adorkable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-18
Updated: 2015-07-18
Packaged: 2018-04-09 22:13:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4366178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeathsLastPrayer/pseuds/DeathsLastPrayer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which: Kid Flash and Robin meet for the first time and everything seems to fall into place from there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sup, Little Bats

* * *

**_I._**

* * *

  


The first time he sees him he thinks, “ _That kid is tiny._ ” And then he says the words aloud and little Bats shoots him what he can only assume is a glare from beneath that domino mask and- yeah. That’s Wally’s first impression of little Bats who he later finds out is called Robin (but only because Barry tells him to go introduce himself and he makes the mistake of saying, “ _Sup, little Bats_ ” and the kid, apparently, resents being called that). 

So they kind of get off to a rocky start because the initial hello degrades into bickering about whose sidekick name is stupider and so on and so forth. And then Batman is calling for Robin and Robin is sticking his tongue out and saying, “Catch ya later, Kidiot!” And disappearing into nothingness (just like _thee_ Batman). 

Which, granted, Wally thinks is a ridiculously clever exit (and insult) for a 10 year old brat but it still rubs him the wrong way and he regrets not getting the chance to retort. 

But the second time they meet goes much better because it’s right after a joint mission between GL and his Uncle Barry and Batman and they’re all pumped up and he’s in a good mood. His good mood is to blame for his asking the snotty kid, “Is this awesome or what?” 

Robin stares all blank faced (so Bat like, it’s bizarre) and then his mouth splits into this big grin- “Dude… one word: aliens!” 

And somehow, that’s the conversation that bridges the gap and kicks their friendship into gear because every joint mission thereafter is like the best kind of hangout. Ever. 

It’s like, super friendship at second sight and it’s the best thing ever. At least… it is to Wally. 

  
  
  


* * *

_**II.**_

* * *

Dick leads two distinct lives –very distinctive in their own right. 

First there’s Richard Grayson: the socialite child icon slash bratty son of Bruce Wayne. Richard Grayson goes to a private prep academy from sun up to early afternoon. Richard Grayson has Tennis club after school for an hour (everyday), dance lessons on Mondays, piano lessons Tuesdays and Thursdays, violin lessons Wednesdays and Fridays, and works with tutors outside of school to further his education after designated lesson slots. Richard Grayson has to socialize and schmooze at Wayne funded events most Saturdays and Sundays. Richard Grayson has friends from lush and posh backgrounds with crippled views of the world but good hearts when it matters most. Richard Grayson wants for nothing and has it all if only with one request to his father. 

Richard Grayson is a public figurehead who plays up the part like he was born into the life. 

But the other him… Robin: that boy is the small and efficient counterpart to notorious Gotham vigilante Batman. Robin trains his mind, body, and soul late into the night in order to prepare for any criminal altercation that he might face out on the streets with Batman. Robin knows how to break basic encryptions and bypass government generated firewalls without breaking a sweat. Robin can do a double back-flip into a hand spring from one roof to the next right before sailing through the air with his grapple. Robin saves lives and works alongside the greatest detective the world has to offer and, on a good night, he gets to work beside some more of the world’s greatest (like Superman or the Flash or Green Lantern or Wonder Woman). 

Robin is a shadow in every sense of the word and he protects Gotham from being consumed by darkness alongside the best mentor. Ever. 

So Dick leads two distinctive lives and he’s only ten but he manages. 

Or, well, he managed. 

It was easier when he didn’t have best friends or friends that were sidekicks of other heroes. Much easier. See, when he only had to worry about Richard Grayson’s friends, it was easier. They don’t and didn’t assume that he had another secret life. They didn’t ask questions about what he did in his free time because it was usually posted in one form of media or another. Richard Grayson never has to lie to those people –not really. 

Robin does. 

Robin has super friends and they all have dual identities and they all are curious about where the other comes from and why/when/where/how. And some of them are really obvious (like Aqua lad who doesn’t need a secret identity because he lives in the sea or M’Gann who has no earthly ties so it doesn’t matter much). Some of them less so but not hard to figure out (like Speedy who’s Oliver’s protégé or KF who’s Barry’s and those identities were easy enough to sus out after observation or a little detective work). But Robin… he can’t say a thing because Batman is so paranoid and secretive and concerned about him, which, granted, isn’t a bad thing. 

It just makes Robin’s social life harder to deal with than the ever busy Richard Grayson’s. 

At least Richard gets to have company at the manor. 

And then there’s Robin… Robin who would love to have his best friend KF over to play videogames or go over combat training or pig out while watching the latest movies or skateboard through the bat cave or anything really. 

But he can’t. 

And it thoroughly sucks. 

Thoroughly. 

But, on the other hand, he still gets to hang out with KF and the others when they have to team up and they still get to have epic conversations while the adults are debriefing after something serious goes down. That’s still fun in a post-adrenaline-rush-because-we-were-fighting-for-our-lives sort of way. 

But then it’s not. 

Like, when Kidiot asks, “Bro, who’s behind the mask? I mean, you know who I am and who uncle Barry is.” 

During those times with those questions, Robin has to remember his mental training and he has to remind himself why he can’t tell and why seeing that broken smile and crestfallen expression are worth the secret. When he remembers, he has to say, “Dude, you know it’s a secret. Bats would hang me from a stalagmite in the cave if I told you that much and _that_ would so not be astrous.” 

And there’s that broken smile he’s becoming so familiar with just before KF’s expression shifts and he’s grinning from ear to ear- “What if I guessed, huh? Dude! Bats can’t get mad if I guessed right, right?” 

To 10-year-old Robin, that sounds like a sweet deal and the best possible loophole if he’s ever heard one. So they fist bump and he’s sporting a wolfish grin when he blurts out, “Deal!” 

Two years later when he’s sitting on a roof top in Central City and waiting for the speedster to show up for stakeout duty, he’s only mildly caught off guard when Wally finally gets there and tackles him to the ground, hands gripping Rob’s shoulders- “Dudeeeeeeee!” 

“Shhhhhh…” Dick maneuvers from under him and flips away, gaze narrowed, “Blow our cover much?” 

“Sorry, sorry,” He says in a whisper but still runs over and slings an arm around bony shoulders, “I got excited because I finally figured it out!” Which, when Wally thinks about it, it’s so obvious. Has been the whole time. 

Dick feigns curiosity just to frazzle Wally, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He snickers when Wally frowns. “Go ahead and guess away,” because those guesses have been way off and too close for comfort but never anything in between. “I’m still not a vamp or any other supernatural thing.” 

“Yeah, yeah, Dick. I know. But vampire or werewolf would’ve been cool.” 

“Totally would’ve- wait!” If only Wally could see his eyes because they were wide as anything and- “What’d you just call me?” Maybe he’s not hearing correctly and it hasn’t just slipped his mind that he’s being called his nickname. Maybe. Maybe Wally just called him a- 

“Dick. You know, a variant of your real name but I’m trying to be sorta discrete here and I’m pretty sure I figured you out because you’re definitely freaking out right now… your eyebrow is twitching.” Wally’s smile is shaky but it doesn’t compare to the mortified (if half a face can be considered mortified) expression on Rob- Dick’s face. 

All of this would be excruciatingly funny if the kid didn’t look like he was either going to shit himself or will himself out of existence. Being a bat, Wally’s sure Dick can do both. At the same time. While doing a double back flip. Ha! 

“How?” It’s just one word but that’s about all Dick is currently capable of getting out. Not like he can deny anything now –he’s too stunned to be contrived or to brush aside the accusation or even to make a lame joke. 

“I’m a brilliant detective.” Okay. Bad joke at the wrong time. “I thought about when I first heard of Robin because, for the longest, you were a total myth and you’re still kind of a myth but, um, you and Dick kind of showed up in Gotham around the same time and too many coincidences usually aren’t a coincidence. But that’s just me and I only found out because I was really looking and I was only looking because you’re my best bro and it did take two years but I won’t tell anyone cuz that’d be totally-” 

Dick shuts him up by clamping a hand over his mouth. “It’s… it’s cool. I mean, I baited you so really…” It’s his own fault but, well, loopholes. And if he’s lucky, Bats- Bruce won’t be too mad. 

Not likely. 

“If you want, I can pretend I don’t know.” Which would suck times 1000 but, hey, anything for a bro. 

Dick doesn’t even have to think about it when he says, “Nah.” Because the perks really do outweigh the non-perks. Or, at least they will. Much, much, later. “Well… now we can go to each other’s houses- er- you can come to my house because it’d be really weird if Dick started hanging out in Central City. At first. But I have to give Bats some time to warm up to the idea.” And by sometime… well, that all depends on how “mad” he’ll be. 

“Wait, wait, wait… I get to go to your place? As in, not just the Bat cave but to- holy shit- I get to go to _thee_ manor?” 

“Shh!” Sure, this is all exciting but they’re still on stakeout duty. “Just- Calm down for now and when we’re done, I’ll tell B about this, get grounded or something… hopefully he can be whelmed…” Probably not but he’ll try. 

“Sweet!” Wally can’t help it when he hugs Dick and ruffles that soft hair and- and they get to be friends outside of the costume. Normal. 

That’s awesome. 

So they fist bump and stakeout a dead end. 

And when Dick does tell Bruce that Wally knows who he is and, subsequently, who they are, it’s only half as bad as he expected it to be. Half because he gets that blank face and stony glare and a lecture that last an hour and then he’s told he can’t have company. Ever. But Alfred helps by dishing Bruce some sage wisdom about Dick needing a friend who can relate to him entirely because most children have at least one of those. Normal children. Dick thinks it’s a dick move to play on the Big B’s guilt but, surprisingly, Bruce relents. 

And that’s how Dick gets to just be himself, which is a mixture of Robin and Richard Grayson. 

Or, well… at least he gets to be himself around his best bro. 

And Wally loves every minute of it. 

**Author's Note:**

> So... been reading comics and watching cartoons since the womb and, yet, this is the first time I've opted to write a fic for one of my favorite couples. I never thought I could pull it off but I got really inspired when I was re-watching YJ so here it is! 
> 
> Hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading and, if you dig it, drop me a line or hit that kudos button!


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